Flooring and the like



April 1936- A. w. LAWRENCE; JR I 2,038,433

FLOORING AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 2, 1954 lwvewi'or A. W LAWRENCE J5.

Patented Apr. 21 1936 l uNirE STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to flooring and the like, including the-covering and finishing of floors, walls, ceilings, etc. by wood or other suitable materials in block or'strip form, and the primary object of the invention is the provision of an improved and more economical flooring and flooring material and improved means for laying and holding the same in place.

My invention embodies the use of securing elements, preferably metallic, adapted to cooperate with the side edges of the independent covering pieces, slabs or the like, to hold the same securely in place. Such edges are prepared by being recessed to receive the elements and the pieces are laid by inserting the elements into the recesses and nailing them to the substructure, each element being adapted to receive and support two adjacent pieces at the adjacent edges: thereof. The elements, which are entirely hidden by the covering, thus serve as a convenient means of laying the fioor or the like and securely holding the same to the substructureand against movement in any direction.

In one aspect my invention relates more particularly to the laying of flooring on concrete and the improved fastener of the invention is especially adapted to serve this purpose by the provision of a flat anchoring tab integral therewith and adapted to receive a holding nail. In use this tab rests flatly on the concrete substructure and at a point sufiiciently spaced from the last laid piece or strip to permit convenient driving of the nail and the nail is driven perpendicularly into the substructure, it being understood that concrete will not readily receive nails driven thereinto at an angle, as is common practice in laying tongue and groove flooring. The production of such an improved fastener and the improved flooring formed therewith and thereby comprises the primary object of the invention.

These and other features of the invention will! be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, seelcted for purposes of illustration and shownin the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a flooring embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View through such flooring and substructure;

Fig. 3 is a perspective "View or the improved fastener used in laying the flooring; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a tile or block flooring embodying my invention.

In Figs. 1 and 2 I have illustrated my invention as embodied in strip flooring comprising relative- 'ly long strips 10 placed in edge to edge relation.

The edges of these strips are grooved substantially as illustrated whereby to provide a continuous slot l2 along each edge. One edge of each strip may also be provided with a relatively narrow tongue I4 "and the opposite edge with a complementary groove I6 for receiving the tongue. One edge of each strip is also recessed continuously therealong "at M3, for a purpose hereinafter described. V

The improved fastener of my invention which is used forh-olding the flooring to, the substructure 20 comprises the piece shown in Fig. 3, which is made-from flat metal strap. The strap or blank is severed transversely at 22 to an extent half way across the blank. The intermediate portion of the piece, not including the tab 24, is then bent out of the plane of the strap to V shape at 26, and one entire end 28 and the portion 30 of the opposite end are left substantially in the same plane. Thus two oppositely disposed wings 28 and 30Vare provided for engaging in the-slots 12 of adjacent flooring pieces and an anchoring tab 24 is provided therebelow. A nail receiving hole 32 is formed through the tab.

While 'my improved fastener is particularly adapted to the laying of flooring on concrete and while I have in Figs. 1 and 2 so illustrated the same, it will be understood that the invention is by no means limited thereto. In laying the flooring, the ends 28 of the fasteners, suitably spaced along the last laid piece, are inserted into the slot l2 of such piece. The remaining portion of each fastener extends outwardly of the piece, the apex of the V 26 andthe tab 24 resting directly on the substructure 20. The fasteners are anchored in such position by driving holding nails 34 through the holes' 32 and into the substructure, it being clear that the tab and hole are sufficiently spaced from the piece [0 and the wing 30 to permit convenient driving of the nail. Twisted nails of the type illustrated are preferably used for driving into concrete and such nails cannot well be driven other than perpendicularly thereinto. It will be readily apparent that my improved fastener with the flat tab 24 permits of thus driving the nails and theflat engagement of the tab with the substructure provides a firm anchor for the fastener. The next piece II] is applied by engaging its slot I'Z over the projecting ends 30 of the anchored fasteners, the recess at [8 being adapted to receive the tab 24 and nail heads thereinto, as illustrated.

It will be clear that my improved fastener is applicable to the laying of various forms of flooring and in Fig. 4 I have illustrated the same as applied to a tile or block flooring. In this construction the blocks 36 are grooved in the manner above pointed out in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 and the fasteners are applied thereto, suitably spaced therealong and anchored to the substructure in like manner, as above defined.

It will now be apparent that I have produced a new and improved flooring of the type described and a new and improved fastener for laying such flooring. Attention is particularly called to the economical construction of the fastener from a single piece of flat metal strap and having two oppositely disposed wings 28 and 30 for engaging the adjacent flooring pieces, intermediate V portion for engaging directly against the substructure and an anchoring tab 24 resting flatly against the substructure and adapted conveniently to receive a holding nail therethrough. It will also be seen that the engagement of the wing 30 and tab 24 above and below the rib 38 formed between the slot l2 and recess l8 provides a further rigid engagement of the fastener with the flooring.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Flooring or the like comprising independent pieces having their juxtaposed side edges directly in contact with each other at and beneath the top surface of the flooring and provided wth preformed and cooperating slots within said side edges, a plurality of one piece floor securing elements disposed at and in relatively spaced relation along said edges intermediate the ends of the pieces, each element having a base portion of upright V-shape in cross section transversely of said side edges, outwardly and oppositely disposed wing portions integral with each element at opposite sides of the base portion and engaging within the slots of said pieces, another wing portion integral wtih each element and having a nail receiving hole therethrough, one of each two adjacent edges of the pieces being recessed to receive the last-named wing portion, and a holding nail extending therethrough and into a substructure, the length of each element longitudinally of said pieces being shorter than the distance between adjacent elements.

2. Flooring or the like comprising independent pieces having their juxtaposed side edges directly in contact with each other at and beneath the top surface of the flooring and provided with preformed and cooperating slots within said side edges, a plurality of one piece floor securing elements disposed at and in relatively spaced relation along said edges intermediate the ends of the pieces, each element having a base portion of upright V-shape in cross section transversely of said side edges, outwardly and oppositely disposed wing portions at opposite sides of the base portion, said wing portions being connected to the top of the base portion and, fitting and engaging within the slots of said pieces, an anchoring tab integral with each element and lying against the floor-supporting substructure and below said wing portions, and a holding nail extending through each tab and into the substructure, the length of each element longitudinally of said pieces being shorter than the distance between adjacent elements.

3. Flooring or the like comprising independent pieces having their juxtaposed side edges directly in contact with each other at and beneath the top surface of the flooring and provided with preformed and cooperating recesses within said side edges, a plurality of one-piece floor securing elements disposed at and in relatively spaced relation along said edges intermediate the ends of the pieces, each element being a strip of metal bent V-shaped at its intermediate portion and having portions of the two ends thereof at opposite sides of said intermediate portion substantially in the same plane and engaging within the recesses of the opposed pieces, and an anchoring tab severed from one of said ends but integral with the intermediate portion of the element and located below said plane and adjacent to the substructure for the flooring, and a holding nail extending through said tab of each element and into the substructure, the length of each element longitudinally of said pieces being shorter than the distance between adjacent elements.

4. A fastener for flooring or the like, comprising a fiat metal strap having its intermediate portion bent out of the plane of the strap to V- shape and having portions of the two ends substantially in the same plane for engaging within grooves of adjacent flooring pieces, a portion of one of said ends being severed therefrom and located therebelow for engagement against the substructure supporting the flooring pieces, said portion being integral wtih the fastener and having a nail receiving hole therethrough.

5. A one piece fastener for flooring or the like, comprising two wings projecting laterally in opposite directions and in the same plane, an intermediate portion out of said plane and connecting the two wings, the length of the fastener being substantially commensurate with said two wings, and an anchoring tab spaced from said wings and having a nail receiving hole therethrough.

6. v A one piece fastener for flooring or the like, comprising two oppositely disposed wings projecting laterally in opposite directions and in the same plane, an intermediate portion out of said plane and connecting the two wings, and an anchoring tab spaced from said wings and having a nail receiving hole therethrough.

7. A one piece fastener for flooring or the like, comprising two wings projecting laterally in opposite directions and in the same plane, an intermediate portion out of said plane and connecting the two wings, one of said wings being of a length commensurate with that of the fastener and the other wing having a portion thereof cut away, and an anchoring tab formed from said cut away portion and spaced from said wings.

8. A one piece fastener for flooring or the like, comprising two wings projecting laterally in opposite directions and in the same plane, an intermediate portion out of said plane and connecting the two wings, one of said wings being of a length commensurate with that of the fastener, and an anchoring tab beneath and laterally of and substantially parallel to the other of said wings.

ABBOTT W. LAWRENCE, JR. 

